Monday, September 8, 2008

Things to do if you have too much free time:

Too much time, never. But I've taken on a new roll lately, one I freely accepted.

I'm not sure what to call it, but I am organizing my company's participation in the Kaiser Permanente (KP) 5K Corporate Challenge this year.

Long story short, part of our company split off and the folks that organized the race for us last year were part of the company that split off.

They did an awesome job in the past, remarkable really, and for many years it was a major highlight for runners in the company.

For those of you that don't know about the Kaiser Permanente Corporate Challenge, it's a 5K road race with approx 20,000 participants(not all from my company) and it runs Thursday September 25th at 7pm.

It's a race and it's a party, the road course starts at the Braves stadium and runs north into downtown Atlanta and then loops back to stadium parking lot, where companies set up large tents for the post race party.

This has to be the best 5K I've ever run; you toe the line with a bunch of you colleagues, you run a closed course in some of the best parts of downtown Atlanta and then make it back to the tent for the party.

So, this is the year I became the guy.

I'm in charge of getting a budget (did I mention something about my company splitting), it's harder than it sounds. Asking for money nowadays or should I say getting it is harder than it sounds.

Working with the folks at KP and Active.com to set up accounts, teams and a registration process.

Getting the word out to the masses, email campaigns, kissing babies and shaking hands, and getting folks off the couch of doom.

Couch to 5K training plans, training sessions, lunch time, after work and everything in between.

Creating a tee shirt design, finding a screen printer, so we can all get the all important race shirt.

Trophy's, we got to have trophy's right, how about some real cool ones, yea, trophy's.

Food, what would the best 5K be without food, how about, chicken wings, ribs, pulled pork and pulled chicken with baked beans, coleslaw and potato salad followed up with cookies and brownies.

Beer, we have to have lots of beer, ice cold beer and plenty of it, we need to storm the castle, pillage the buffet and drink like Vikings.

Door prizes, timing, transportation and this, that, and the other thing.


Getting them all to the line on race day, priceless.

-Brian

5 comments:

Wes said...

Good for you. You'll be excellent playing the part of "The Man" :-)

Lauren Starks said...

My company runs this too. Best part is we have BBQ. The race is fun too.


Except when the partners cheat
And cut through streets.
LOL

Kevin said...

Sounds great! My company does this every year. I would've signed up if it werent a few days before the sc 1/2

teacherwoman said...

Sounds like a lot of work! You are DA MAN!

Erin Leigh said...

If you have to organize any race I'd say this is the one!! Sounds like a GREAT time!!